Fresenius Dialysis Heart Attack Lawyers

Our kidney dialysis attorneys are are helping families who have suffered a heart attack or other cardiac event after undergoing dialysis with GranuFlo or NaturalLyte. We believe Fresenius Medical Care (FMC) was aware of potentially fatal cardiac risks associated with these products, but that they hid this evidence and continued to make, market, and sell these dialysis products, causing severe injury or death to many dialysis patients.

Victims of GranuFlo and NaturaLyte heart attacks may be entitled to compensation from Fresenius Medical Care. If you or a loved one has suffered a heart attack or other cardiovascular event, or death, after dialysis, these products may be to blame. To learn more, contact our GranuFlo lawyers for a free legal consultation and review of your case.

As a highly respected personal injury law firm, we have earned a reputation for tenacious representation and a high rate of success. We offer each of our clients:

Cost-free legal consultations with a GranuFlo lawyer

Home visits anywhere in the U.S.

No legal fees unless you win

Confidentiality and the personal attention you may not get with other national firms

Fresenius Dialysis Drugs: GranuFlo & NaturaLyte

When a person has renal failure or other kidney problems, his or her kidneys do not effectively cleanse their blood of waste and help maintain a healthy pH level in the body. When this happens, the person may be treated with dialysis, an artificial way to filter the blood and reintroduce it into the body. During dialysis, the blood is pumped into a unit where a dialysate is used to filter the blood, and these dialysate chemicals are converted into bicarbonate, which can help neutralize acid buildup in the blood stream. High bicarbonate levels, however, can be very dangerous.

GranuFlo and NaturaLyte are dialysates, and these chemicals contain more bicarbonate than other dialysates, which can lead to serious injury or even the death of the patient. At this time, there are nearly 6,000 dialysis centers treating more than 400,000 patients in the United States, and more than one-third of these clinics are owned and run by Fresenius Medical Care North America. In addition to these clinics, many facilities not owned by FMC also use GranuFlo and NaturaLyte, which are possibly the most common dialysates in the Unites States.

GranuFlo and NaturaLyte Cardiac Side Effects and Deaths

Published in an internal FMC memo, results from a 2010 study conducted by the Germany-based pharmaceutical company show that high levels of bicarbonate in GranuFlo and NaturaLyte increase the likelihood of a patient heart attack by 6 times. This statistic is based on the fact that, in 2010 alone, 941 heart attacks were reported in dialysis clinics operated by FMC. In addition to heart attacks, GranuFlo and NaturaLyte have been linked to an increased risk of:

Low blood pressure

Hypokalemia: low levels of potassium in the blood

Hypoxemia: low oxygen levels in the blood

Hypercapnia: high levels of carbon dioxide in the blood

Cardiac arrhythmia: irregular heart beat

Cardiopulmonary arrest

Heart Attack

Stroke

Death

Kidney Dialysis Recall: GranuFlo and NaturaLyte Heart Problems

The FDA issued Class 1 recalls for GranuFlo and NaturaLyte on March 29, 2012. Class 1 recalls are the most serious level of recall: they mark situations where users of a product may be in danger of adverse health reactions or death.

This recall is the result of information the FDA received in an internal FMC memo that was leaked to the regulatory agency in November 2011. In the memo, it is abundantly clear that the pharmaceutical company knew of the increased risk of heart attack and other heart problems associated with GranuFlo and NaturaLyte, but that they failed to inform the general public of these risks, as this memo was only distributed to FMC doctors and dialysis clinics.

Fresenius Dialysis Heart Attack Lawsuits

As a medical device manufacturer, FMC is legally (and morally) obligated to provide a safe product and to warn of any safety hazards associated with their products in order to prevent injury or death to patients who receive these dialysis products. In GranuFlo and NaturaLyte lawsuits, our attorneys can call attention to the gross negligence displayed by FMC in willfully continuing to make, market, and distribute these products even after they learned of the significant safety risks linked to them.

Based on information featured in the 2010 internal memo issued by FMC, it is evident that they knew of the risks associated with GranuFlo and NaturaLyte. However, the company only issued this memo to their own clinics and doctors, neglecting to inform other doctors, clinics, and patients of these potentially fatal risks. When the memo was leaked to the FDA, the company was required to issue a further public safety warning about GranuFlo and NaturaLyte, but this new memo did not express the urgency, detail, or resources that were noted in the previous memo. This is evidence that FMC may have intentionally tried to hide and diminish evidence of risks associated with their dangerous drugs.

As a result of their negligence, we allege FMC is legally obligated to compensate victims harmed by their products. If you would like to learn more about GranuFlo and NaturaLyte claims and settlements, contact our lawyers today.

Contact our Dialysis Heart Attack Lawyers

Our GranuFlo and NaturaLyte lawyers are highly experienced in dangerous drug litigation, and our clients can feel confident that we will aggressively fight to protect their best interests. If you or someone you love has suffered heart attack, death, or other problems linked to these problems, you may be entitled to substantial compensation. Contact us today to learn about your rights in a free legal consultation.